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EnglishHow The University Star Operates as a Student News Site
Updated
The University Star is the student news site of Texas State University, and it operates as a student-run newsroom: Texas State students serve as reporters, editors, and contributors who produce news, life and arts, sports, and opinion coverage for the campus and the surrounding San Marcos community. That structure is the key to understanding everything else about the site — the beats it covers, the voices in its bylines, and how its content differs from official university communications.
Who produces the content
The bylines on The University Star show students in named roles rather than a professional, off-campus newsroom. Recent examples from the site include:
- News Reporter — Ca'Myah Robinson, covering City Council budget and rate decisions
- News Editor — Arabella DiChristina, covering a lawsuit ruling involving a former history professor
- News Contributor — Madison Winzer, covering EMS rates and the fiscal year 2027 budget
- Life and Arts Reporter / Contributor — Vanessa Rivera and Kaylee Cantu, covering local art and community events
- Sports Reporter / Contributor — Julia Veilleux and Rhianna Aleman, covering Texas State athletics
The mix of "reporter," "editor," and "contributor" titles indicates a layered student staff: editors assign and review, reporters file regularly, and contributors add pieces without holding a full beat. That is the standard shape of a college newsroom, and it means the site's quality and focus shift each semester as students rotate through roles.
What it covers
The Star's coverage splits into recognizable sections, each with its own scope:
| Section | What it covers | Example from the site |
|---|---|---|
| News | Campus governance, city government, university policy, public safety | City Council approves new fiscal year budget and stormwater utility rates |
| Life and Arts | Local culture, community groups, student life | Clay Club SMTX shapes community through art; L Fest at Tantra |
| Sports | Texas State teams and athletic milestones | Bobcats beat Incarnate Word; Texas State sweeps Utah State for first Pac-12 win in program history |
| Opinion / Letters | Student and community viewpoints | Letter to the Editor on overcrowded Texas State shuttles |
Two things stand out about this mix. First, the news section treats San Marcos city government as a beat alongside campus news — City Council budget votes and utility rates get the same treatment as university matters. Second, the site carries reader-submitted opinion, such as the letter about shuttle overcrowding, which is a distinct category from staff reporting.
How it relates to Texas State University
The Star is the student news site of Texas State University, not a department of it. Its content is produced by students and covers the university as a subject — including stories that are critical or sensitive, like the letter on overcrowded shuttles, coverage of demonstrators and a counter-protest at TXST, and a judge's ruling in a former professor's lawsuit. That editorial independence is what separates a student news outlet from a university press release page.
It also covers state-level policy that affects students, such as a directive from the governor on a three-year degree framework aimed at lowering costs. So the scope runs from the city council chamber to the state capitol, always filtered through how it lands on campus.
How to follow it
The site offers a newsletter signup ("Subscribe to Our Newsletter") and maintains an Instagram presence under the handle universitystar. It also identifies itself as part of the "Star News Network." If you want to track a specific beat — city budget votes, Texas State athletics, or campus events — the section structure above is the fastest way to filter, since stories are grouped by News, Life and Arts, Sports, and Opinion rather than published as one undifferentiated feed.
One practical note: because the staff is made up of students, contact information and beat assignments change between semesters. If you need to reach a specific reporter or editor, check the byline on their most recent story rather than relying on an older listing.